| A name bestowed on an African child can traditionally | | | | Kiwanuka, Musisi, Musoke, Muwanga, and Kitinda. |
| depend on birth order in the family, or the occupation | | | | Names that express gratitude to supernatural |
| the family is associated with. The name can reflect | | | | agencies for the birth of the child given the name, |
| names of deities and other religious entities in the | | | | are common. The Zulu use the names Bonginkosi |
| culture. A name can also reflect praise or | | | | 'thank the Lord,' Sipho 'gift (from God),' Thembinkosi |
| expectations of the child. Many African names reflect | | | | 'trust the Lord,' Sibongile 'we are grateful,' and |
| circumstances at birth that can include praise or | | | | Bongani 'be ye grateful' (Koopman 1987: 148-149). |
| negative opinion of neighbors or other family | | | | Names can also promulgate an opinion of negative or |
| members. | | | | positive bearing that the namer may direct to |
| Many African names reflect the composition of the | | | | neighbors, family and kin, enemies, the newborn itself, |
| family. Hence, they can reflect discontentment over | | | | or even to ancestral spirits and Gods. The Shona of |
| gender imbalances among family offspring, family | | | | central and southern Africa have such names as |
| ancestry, and the family in extended form. Children | | | | Ruvengo 'hatred,' Hamundidi 'you do not love me,' |
| are named after their forefathers so as to appease | | | | Vengwa 'the hated one,' Masemani 'you despised me,' |
| the ancestral spirits, given that dead ancestors of | | | | Ibvai 'get away,' Mativengerei 'why have you been |
| good reputation are believed to have become spirits | | | | hating us?' and Chomunorwa 'what is all the fighting |
| who protect their descendants. The ancestral spirits | | | | about?' (Jackson 1957: 116-117). |
| are also said to be mediators, whereby they plead to | | | | A name that embodies the expectations the parents |
| God for protection and mercy toward their | | | | have of their child is intended to serve as inspiration |
| descendants. Because ancestral spirits protect their | | | | for the youngster. The Xhosa of southern Africa |
| living descendants, they are carefully appeased | | | | employ such names as Khokela 'guide,' Mxolisi |
| through carrying out the proper observances and | | | | 'peacemaker,' Malusi 'shepherd,' Solomzi 'eye of the |
| referring to them with respect. In many of the ethnic | | | | home,' Thembeka 'be faithful,' Thozama 'be meek,' |
| groups of the Bantu African mega group, the | | | | Mcebisi 'counselor,' and Monde 'perseverance' (Thipa: |
| first-born male is named after his paternal | | | | 1987: 116-117). |
| grandfather, the second-born is named after his | | | | Noleen Turner assembles an impressive field survey |
| father, and those who follow in birth-order are less | | | | collection of names of the Zulu of southern Africa. |
| specifically named, but are many are named after a | | | | Tuner points out that many African names have |
| variety of forefathers and forefathers' brothers and | | | | psychological functions, they can express |
| their other relatives. This allows for ancestors to be | | | | discontentment and censuring within the societal and |
| retained in history, given that they are mentioned in | | | | domestic setting within which the names operate |
| everyday speech. It is also believed that the spirits | | | | (1992: 42). On the same page, Turner continues |
| of ancestors watch over their namesakes. Many | | | | about Zulu names. |
| names that are associated with clans are often | | | | "...social function in working out stress situations, |
| descendent from ancestors of good reputation or | | | | minimizing friction and providing a means of |
| status. Many of the children of the same family line | | | | acceptance or indirect comment in a situation where |
| are given names of such ancestors. | | | | direct confrontation or even accusation is |
| Among the Nuba of southern Kordofan in Sudan, the | | | | unacceptable." |
| first-born son is called Kuku, the second is Kafi, the | | | | Turner(1992: 55-56) summarizes that African names |
| third is Tia, the fourth-born son is given the female | | | | can "express dissatisfaction or vent frustration," and |
| name Tia in case a daughter has not been born, and | | | | "cast suspicion or level accusation." The names can |
| the fifth son is named Nalu. Regarding girls, if a | | | | function to "ridicule, mock, or warn against an |
| daughter is born first she is called Kaka, the | | | | unacceptable mode of behavior," and can function to |
| second-born is Toto, the third is named Koshe, the | | | | "challenge a person who by virtue of his or her |
| fourth is Kiki (or Ngori, or Kikingori), and the fifth-born | | | | position, precludes normal channels of criticism and |
| (regardless of gender) is named Nalu (Seligman 1932: | | | | censure." Turner also finds that African names can |
| 386-387). Giving a boy a female name, or vice versa, | | | | portray the disputing of allegations that were made, |
| is a displaying of gender preference. A first-born child | | | | as well as informing the party that "has made the |
| who is female can thus be given a male name, | | | | allegations, that the namer is well aware of the |
| though she would be given a proper female name | | | | situation." |
| upon the birth of a male sibling. Names can therefore | | | | Though by and large, one or both of the parents |
| also exhibit quantity of births in the family, as well as | | | | have the precedence in the naming, in many societies |
| progeny sequence of birth. | | | | the extended family tremendously influences this |
| Names have numerous origins. Many began as | | | | process which can involve extensive discussion and |
| nicknames, many as proverbial names. Many are | | | | debate. There are cases, for example, where the |
| derived from occupations and their implements, many | | | | combination of the mother, the traditional midwife |
| are adapted from neighbors' and foreigners' names, | | | | (during and after the delivery of the child), and the |
| while many reflect natural phenomena. It is also | | | | child's paternal grandmother have exclusive powers in |
| common for a child to be given the name of a | | | | the naming. One can therefore imagine why in many |
| renowned person who is not related to the family. It | | | | African societies, there exists a breadth of names |
| was very common, in the past for people to take on | | | | that openly portray negative and even derogatory |
| names of their neighbors through a variety of | | | | remarks about one or both of the parents. The |
| assimilation processes. These included conquest and | | | | African naming ceremonies vary, from society to |
| capture, blood-brotherhood rituals, merging of clans | | | | society. |
| into one, marriage, and long-term residence in a clan | | | | References |
| village. | | | | Koopman, Adrian. "Zulu Names and Other Modes of |
| Names can corroborate the spiritual or religious | | | | Address." Nomina Africana 1, no. 1 (1987): 136-164. |
| backdrop of the child. A name can, therefore, reflect | | | | Musere, Jonathan. African Names and Naming. Los |
| gratitude towards the Supernatural for the birth of | | | | Angeles, CA: Ariko Publications, 2000. |
| the child. Among the Baganda of Uganda, despite the | | | | Seligman, C.G. and Brenda G. Seligman. Pagan Tribes |
| extensive conversions to Christianity and Islam from | | | | of the Nilotic Sudan. London, England: George |
| the nineteenth century, the names of the native | | | | Routledge and Sons, 1932. |
| deities are still honored and they still serve as popular | | | | Thipa, H.M. "What Shall We Name Him?" Nomina |
| personal names. Names of the Goddesses of the | | | | Africana 1, no. 2 (1987): 107-117. |
| Baganda include Nakayaga, Nalwoga, Nagaddya | | | | Turner, Noleen S. "Zulu Names as Echoes of Censure, |
| (Nagajja), Nanziri, and Namirembe. The Gods include | | | | Discontent, and Disapproval Within the Domestic |
| Sserwanga (Lwanga), Mukasa, Kyobe Kibuuka, | | | | Environment." Nomina Africana 6, no. 2 (1992): 42-56. |